Niagara University Family Business Center marks 10th anniversary, hosts next breakfast forum

by jmaloni

Fri, Feb 1st 2013 07:00 am

William Wadsworth will present "The New Healthcare Laws and Changes that Business Owners Need to Know" on Feb. 5.

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Niagara University's Family Business
Center will hold its February breakfast forum Tuesday, from 7 to 9:30 a.m., at
the Sonoma Grille, 5010 Main St., Snyder. William Wadsworth of Planned Futures
Financial Group will speak on "The New Healthcare Laws and Changes that
Business Owners Need to Know."

The forum will aid in answering frequently
asked questions about the new laws, such as: Who does the law cover? When does
it begin? Who will pay for it? And, how will it affect you and your employees?

This event is provided at no cost to
members of the community, but space is limited and reservations are required by
Feb. 1.

The Family Business Center is celebrating
its 10th anniversary in February.

"The program has gone beyond my
expectations," said director Vincent Agnello.

The Family Business Center focuses on
consulting support for local, family-owned businesses; develops curriculum to
enhance student learning in the areas of entrepreneurship and family-owned
business issues; maintains a library of family business materials including
current research on family business; and holds speakers' series and seminars on
family business issues.

More than 90 percent of all American
businesses are owned and operated by families. Based on recent studies, only
one-third of family-owned businesses will survive to the next generation and
only 10 percent will survive transfer to a second generation.

The average family business was founded
shortly after World War II, and more than 70 percent are still controlled by
the founders or the second generation. It is expected that nearly 40 percent of
the current leadership of family-owned businesses will change hands in the next
five years. However, only 37 percent of those businesses have a written
strategic plan, and 42 percent have not yet determined their successor.

The Family Business Center's mission "is
to develop and exchange relevant information on family business issues in order
to strengthen the stability and long-term viability of family and privately
owned businesses through education, research and service," Agnello said.

Niagara University's College of Business
Administration joins a network of more than 60 colleges and universities that
have established a family business center to assist businesses in their
geographic area.

The Family Business Center holds six
forums per academic year, focusing on a new topic at each event. To RSVP to the
Feb. 5 forum, contact Melissa at 716-286-8160 or Gerry at 716-286-8173. For
more information about the FBC, visit http://www.niagara.edu/fbc.

Robert
and Randall Sanderson of Kitchen World will present "When Disaster Strikes, Are
You Prepared" on Tuesday, March 5. Shoshanna Cogan of Shoshanna Cogan &
Associates International will educate guests on "Balancing for Success: Work
Family and You!" on Tuesday, May 7. RSVP for these events using the contact
information listed above.